The Ruby and Graham Train
by JMolover13
Summary: Emma sees the way Ruby and Graham interact when people are around... and eventually, she sees them when they think no one's around. More Emma's POV, but a romance between Graham and Ruby... Tumblr Prompt.


The Ruby and Graham Train

Emma had been Deputy in the town for all of ten minutes. She had always suspected that there was something going on between Ruby and Graham, but she never thought she'd have to see the Ruby and Graham train take off…

She walked into the diner the morning before her first real day—minus her son trapping himself in a mine with a therapist and everyone freaking out especially his other mother, the Mayor herself—at least that's what she was hoping it's what it was going to be… She was still sore from her first official day of Deputying…Deputyism?... Deputyisming, and she was not about to deal with all that mess again. She was ready to kick back and eat a bear claw while drinking coffee and being entertained by Leroy… that's all there was to the job, right?

Anyways, back to Graham and Ruby… she always knew that there was something going on between the two, but it never seemed to be as prominent as it was when she walked into the diner that morning. Ruby was leaning over Graham's plate and she definitely wore her flirty face.

As the cook called, "Order up!" She turned to see who's it was, then turned back to Graham. She dipped her finger into the whip cream—minus the cinnamon—touched his nose the licked the rest off her finger as she walked away. Graham watched her walk like a love struck puppy too. His head fell into his hand and everything.

Emma walked over to sit next to him. She had to wave her hand in front of his face a couple times before he realized that there was someone else around him.

"You have crap on your face, Sheriff…" Emma said deadpan as she gave him a napkin.

~0~0~0~0~0~

The second time she got to see a hint of the Ruby and Graham train was about three weeks later. She and Graham were at the diner-turned-bar for the night getting a nightcap.

She and Graham were shooting darts… Well, Graham was shooting darts like fucking Bullseye, Emma was… sucking it up.

"I have no aim!" Emma said as Graham tried to teach her how to throw the dart properly, "Look, I've never been good at darts… Just because you could go to the Devil's Playground and harass Daredevil doesn't mean we should all have that talent."

Graham laughed shook his head, "Just listen to me this once, alright?"

Emma sighed and did as told… Well, whaddya know folks? Emma hit the target. She frowned and looked over to Graham, "I should probably listen to you more than just this once, huh?" All Graham did was smirk.

Their attention was called away as they heard a particularly drunk male voice—that happened to not be Leroy for once—bellow across the room, "Oh come on, Baby! I know you wanna!"

They both looked to see who he was talking to.

"For the last time I am not your _Baby_!" Ruby grit through her teeth.

Before Emma could get over how truly disgusting the man was, Graham was already over there, "There a problem?"

"Ah, don' worry 'bout it Sheriff! I'm just getting my date for the night is all." He leered Ruby's direction.

Graham stepped between him and Ruby, "Yeah, you've had enough. Come on. Let's get you home." He started to pull the man from the stool all the while keeping Ruby away from him.

"Now Sheriff! I know my limit and I ain't even had half of it! So if you don' mind I'ma sit back down and wait as patiently as possible for that hot piece to realize what she's missing."

"No, friend. You're done. You can make this easy and I can take you home, or you can make it hard and I can take you to the station."

"I ain't goin' nowhere!" The dude tried to punch Graham.

Graham easily ducked and out maneuvered him, "Hard way it is then." He said as he clipped the cuffs on the man from behind, "Deputy? Make sure nothing else gets too out of hand?"

"Sure thing, boss."

It wasn't ten minutes later that Graham came back inside the diner with a bloody nose. Emma and Ruby were the first over to him.

"Come on. Let's get your nose cleaned up!" Ruby said as she took his face and looked at the damage.

The three went to the back room.

"So… what happened, boss?" Emma asked.

"Well… I was leading him inside the station when he reared his head back." The scruffy man rolled his eyes, "He thought he'd be able to get away if he did that… Pathetic." He mumbled the last word through his huff.

"But you're okay?" Ruby asked as she held some bagged ice to his nose and subtly put her hand over his.

It was very subtle too… if Emma hadn't been looking for it, she wouldn't have seen it.

"I'm fine." Graham whispered then gave his best boyish grin.

~0~0~0~0~0~

The third time Emma didn't need to have had any thoughts on the matter… the Ruby and Graham train might as well have had been on display. There was nothing they would have been able to do to hide it if they tried…

It was another few weeks later. Emma was walking into the station from lunch. She went straight to her desk, and assumed that Graham had taken to his occasional afternoon nap… that's always what it meant when the blinds were drawn.

She figured she'd give him another half hour before she got bored and needed him to entertain her… She figured that right up until she heard undefinable noises coming from his office. If she had thought just a split second, she should have walked out the door… But being her, her mind always goes to the bad place and concern took over for her scruffy friend.

She got up and went straight for the door, "Hey Graham," she looked to the left as she flipped the lights on, "Is everything—OH! MY EYES! MY EYES!" Emma ran from the office, eyes covered. She ran all the way to the hallway that led to the interrogation room before she started laughing like she hadn't laughed… ever before.

The Ruby and Graham train was definitely set in motion…


End file.
